Med. School Approves Report on Diversity

The Medical School's Faculty Council Yesterday announced its unanimous approval of a report calling for greater racial and gender diversity in the faculty.

While Harvard is already regarded by many as the top medical institution in the nation, such a pledge to increased faculty diversity will allow the school to establish itself as a leader in yet another aspect, said Clyde H. Evans, associate dean for clinical affairs.

"I'm not aware of any other medical school that has made this kind of institutional commitment," said Evans, who worked on the committee which produced the report.

The report, prepared by a two year ad hoc committee, includes a Statement of Commitment which reads: "In an ideal world of equitable resources and expectations, the Faculty of Harvard Medical School would fully reflect the diversity of society as a whole. Harvard Medical School is committed to assemble a faculty that mirrors the diversity of our nation."

Despite a great expansion in faculty size inrecent years, the percentage of minority facultymembers has remained low for the past decade.

But that will change, said to a statementreleased yesterday by Dean of the Medical SchoolDaniel C. Tosteson '44.

"Twenty-five years ago this institutioncommitted itself to the diversifying of itsstudent body." Tosteson said in the statement."Today, we renew our commitment to continue tostrengthen our efforts to assemble a worldrenownedfaculty of similar diversity."

To realize this goal, the Council called forthe establishment of a new dean for facultydevelopment.

Evans, who served as staff for the ad hoccommittee, said the specific job description forthe new position would be resolved at theCouncil's May 18 meeting. "We're still in theprocess of putting the flesh on the bones," Evanssaid.

Patrick B. Senatus '89, a committee member andan M.D./Ph.D. student, said "I'm really impressedand proud that Harvard has come out and adoptedthis....It will really set a precedent for medicaleducation."

Two years ago, Senatus, with the backing ofminority campus organizations, presented an85-signature student petition to the Councilexpressing student dissatisfaction with theschool's affirmative action report.

In response to the petition, the Councilappointed aRTLÄ Hoc Committee on IncreasedRecruitment of Women and Minority Faculty toinvestigate minority and women representation inthe faculty, Evans said.

This April, the Council approved therecommendations of the committee, which wascomprised of 15 faculty members, administratorsand students. The Council also adopted aresolution from the Joint Committee on the Statusof Women calling for actions to improve careerprospects for women faculty members.

Underrepresented minorities--Blacks, Hispanicsand Native Americans--now comprise three percentof the Medical School faculty and 2.5 percent ofits tenured professors.

Women now represent 30 percent of the faculty,but just seven percent of the tenured professors.

But underrepresented minorities account for afull 19 percent of the student body, a percentagewhich Evans said is the highest in the nation.Exceptional recruiting of minority studentsgarnered the school the Paul R. Wright Award forMedical Education from the American MedicalStudents Association last month.

"The diversity that we see at the student levelin time can be translated into diversity at thefaculty level," said Senatus, co-chair of the newHarvard Medical Students United for FacultyDiversity, an umbrella organization comprised ofvarious minority, women, religious and homosexualrights groups.

But faculty diversity has not come as easily,Evans said, because hospital departments areresponsible for hiring their own professorswithout the centralized control used in studentadmissions

Despite a great expansion in faculty size inrecent years, the percentage of minority facultymembers has remained low for the past decade.

But that will change, said to a statementreleased yesterday by Dean of the Medical SchoolDaniel C. Tosteson '44.

"Twenty-five years ago this institutioncommitted itself to the diversifying of itsstudent body." Tosteson said in the statement."Today, we renew our commitment to continue tostrengthen our efforts to assemble a worldrenownedfaculty of similar diversity."

To realize this goal, the Council called forthe establishment of a new dean for facultydevelopment.

Evans, who served as staff for the ad hoccommittee, said the specific job description forthe new position would be resolved at theCouncil's May 18 meeting. "We're still in theprocess of putting the flesh on the bones," Evanssaid.

Patrick B. Senatus '89, a committee member andan M.D./Ph.D. student, said "I'm really impressedand proud that Harvard has come out and adoptedthis....It will really set a precedent for medicaleducation."

Two years ago, Senatus, with the backing ofminority campus organizations, presented an85-signature student petition to the Councilexpressing student dissatisfaction with theschool's affirmative action report.

In response to the petition, the Councilappointed aRTLÄ Hoc Committee on IncreasedRecruitment of Women and Minority Faculty toinvestigate minority and women representation inthe faculty, Evans said.

This April, the Council approved therecommendations of the committee, which wascomprised of 15 faculty members, administratorsand students. The Council also adopted aresolution from the Joint Committee on the Statusof Women calling for actions to improve careerprospects for women faculty members.

Underrepresented minorities--Blacks, Hispanicsand Native Americans--now comprise three percentof the Medical School faculty and 2.5 percent ofits tenured professors.

Women now represent 30 percent of the faculty,but just seven percent of the tenured professors.

But underrepresented minorities account for afull 19 percent of the student body, a percentagewhich Evans said is the highest in the nation.Exceptional recruiting of minority studentsgarnered the school the Paul R. Wright Award forMedical Education from the American MedicalStudents Association last month.

"The diversity that we see at the student levelin time can be translated into diversity at thefaculty level," said Senatus, co-chair of the newHarvard Medical Students United for FacultyDiversity, an umbrella organization comprised ofvarious minority, women, religious and homosexualrights groups.

But faculty diversity has not come as easily,Evans said, because hospital departments areresponsible for hiring their own professorswithout the centralized control used in studentadmissions